Chrysanthemum plant named Balada

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Balada particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum type; orange-bronze ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of 76 to 89 mm when fully opened, when grown as a single stem spray cut mum; flowering response in Salinas, Calif. under normal temperatures of 50 to 54 days after start of short days, and in Bogota, Colombia under temperatures of minimum 6.4 degrees Celsius night and maximum 29 degrees Celsius day of 63 to 72 days; plant height of 76 to 94 cm when grown in Salinas with 6 to 14 long days prior to start of short days, and 102 to 117 cm when grown in Bogota with 14 to 17 long days prior to start of short days; peduncle length of the first lateral at flowering after removing the apical bud without growth regulator applications of 10 to 15 cm when grown in Salinas, and 10 to 20 cm when grown in Bogota; peduncle length of the fourth lateral at flowering of 13 to 20 cm when in Salinas, and 15 to 23 cm when grown in Bogota; and excellent tolerance to low night temperatures for bud initiation and flower development.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name Balada.

Balada, identified as 1907 (87-434008), was originated from a cross madeby Cornelis P. VandenBerg in a controlled breeding program in Salinas,Calif., in 1986.

The female parent of Balada was an unnamed seedling identified as 6826(84-187105), and described as a pink flat daisy cut spray mum. Whengrown in Salinas, Calif. 6826 (84-187015) has a flowering response toshort days of 53 to 67 days, a height of 64 to 99 cm 0 to 15 long daysprior to start of short days, a peduncle length of the first lateral of10 to 20 cm and of the fourth lateral of 13 to 23 cm, and a flowerdiameter of 63 mm. When grown in Bogota, Colombia, 6826 (84- 187015) hasa flowering response of 70 to 74 days, a height of 107 to 117 cm with 14to 21 long days prior to start of short days, and a peduncle length ofthe first lateral of 15 to 20 cm and of the fourth lateral of 18 to 20cm. No flower diameter was recorded in Colombia. 6826 (84-187015) wasdiscarded from all programs on Oct. 19, 1987.

The male parent of Balada was an unnamed seedling identified as 5971(82-J20070), and described as a bronze flat daisy spray cut mum. Whengrown in Salinas, Calif., 5971 (82-J20070) has a flowering response toshort days of 53 to 64 days, a height of 66 to 99 cm with 11 to 14 longdays prior to start of short days, a peduncle length of the firstlateral of 8 to 10 cm and of the fourth lateral of 10 to 15 cm, and aflower diameter of 70 to 76 mm. When grown in Bogota, Colombia, 5971(82-J20070) has a flowering response to short days of 70 to 90 days, aheight of 94 to 119 cm with 7 to 14 long days prior to start of shortdays, and a peduncle length of the first lateral of 15 to 23 cm and ofthe fourth lateral of 23 cm. No flower diamter was recorded in Colombia,5971 (82-J20070) was discarded from all programs on May 12, 1986.

Balada was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross by Cornelis P. VandenBerg in November of1987, in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Balada was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in January of1988 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., by techniciansworking under the supervision of Cornelis P. VandenBerg.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Balada are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

Balada has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Salinas, Calif. and Bogota, Colombia, under greenhouseconditions which approximate those generally used in commercialgreenhouse practice. The low temperature tolerance was determined inrepeated flowerings in Bogota, Colombia, with an average minimum lownight temperature inside the greenhouse in Bogota during our trialsranging from 6.3 to 10.0 degrees Celsius.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Balada, which, in combination, distinguishthis Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Daisy capitulum type.

3. Orange-bronze ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 76 to 89 mm when fully opened,when grown as a single stem spray cut mum.

5. Flowering response in Salinas under normal temperatures is 50 to b 54days after start of short days. Flowering response in Bogota, Colombiaunder temperatures of minimum 6.3 degrees Celsius night and maximum 29degrees Celsius day is 63 to 72 days.

6. Plant height is 76 to 94 cm when grown in Salinas with 6 to 14 longdays prior to start of short days; height is 102 to 117 cm when grown inBogota with 14 to 17 long days prior to start of short days.

7. Peduncle length of the first lateral at flowering after removing theapical bud without growth regulator applications is 10 to 15 cm whengrown in Salinas, and 10 to 20 cm when grown in Bogota. Peduncle lengthof the fourth lateral at flowering is 13 to 20 cm when grown in Salinas,and 15 to 23 cm when grown in Bogota.

8. Excellent tolerance to low night temperatures for bud initiation andflower development.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence andleaf characteristics of Balada, with the colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type.

Sheet 1 is a color photograph of Balada grown as a single stem spray cutmum.

Sheet 2 is a black and white photograph of three views of theinfloresence of Balada.

Sheet 3 is a black and white photograph showing the upper and undersides of the leaves of Balada at three stages of development (mature,intermediate and immature). In sheets 2 and 3 a measuring tape incentimeters has been included.

Of the commercial cultivars know to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Balada is the cultivar Paleto, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 6,903. Reference is made to attached Chart A, which comparescertain characteristics of Balada to the same characteristics of Paleto.

Similar traits are ray floret color, capitulum form and type, sprayformation and low night temperature tolerance. Plant height iscomparable for both cultivars in Colombia, but plant height of Balada isshorter than the height of Paleto when grown in Salinas. Balada has alarger flower diameter, a faster flowering response in both triallocations, and shorter peduncle length when compared with Paleto.

When compared with both parents, Balada has a larger flower diameter anda faster flowering response to short days.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a single stem spray cut mum in Salinas, Calif.on Jun. 20, 1990.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Balada.

Commercial.--Daisy spray cut mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--76 to 89 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of threemeters).--Orange-bronze.

Color (upper surface).--162A, overlaid with 168B to 168C. Immatureflowers heavily overlaid.

Color (under surface).--163D, slightly overlaid and streaked with 168B.

Shape.--Straight, base slightly concave, mature petal tips slightlyconvex. Cross section straight, slightly ribbed.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--12A.

Color (immature).--12A, center slightly overlaid with 144B.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; moderate pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--76 to 94 cm when grown in Salinas with 6-14 long days prior tostart of short days, and 102 to 117 cm when grown in Bogota with 14 to17 long days prior to start of short days.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--See photograph.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        COMPARISON OF BALADA AND PALETO                                               Characteristic Balada       Paleto                                            ______________________________________                                        Ray floret color                                                                             Orange-bronze                                                                              Orange-bronze                                     Capitulum form and type                                                                      Flat daisy   Flat daisy                                        Diameter across face                                                                         76 to 89 mm  70 to 80 mm                                       of capitulum                                                                  Flowering response                                                            in Salinas     50 to 54 days                                                                              51 to 60 days                                     in Bogota      63 to 72 days                                                                              70 to 80 days                                     Plant height:                                                                  6-14 long days Salinas                                                                      76 to 94 cm  91 to 102 cm                                      14-17 long days Bogota                                                                       102 to 117 cm                                                                              107 to 112 cm                                     Peduncle length:                                                              1st lateral Salinas                                                                          10 to 15 cm  10 to 18 cm                                       4th lateral Salinas                                                                          13 to 20 cm  18 to 23 cm                                       1st lateral Bogota                                                                           10 to 20 cm  15 to 23 cm                                       4th lateral Bogota                                                                           15 to 23 cm  20 to 23 cm                                       Spray formation                                                                              Terminal     Terminal                                          Low night temperature                                                                        Excellent    Excellent                                         tolerance                                                                     ______________________________________                                        COMPARISONS MADE OF PLANTS GROWN AS SINGLE                                    STEM SPRAY CUT MUMS IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA                                    AND IN BOGOTA, COLOMBIA                                                       ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named Balada, asdescribed and illustrated.